Blank-separating mechanism



Dec. 30, 1930. H. CARLE 1,786,477

BLANK SEPARATING MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 18, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 1n nun mu I \\II Dec. 30, 1930. CARLE 1,786,477

BLANK S EPARAIING MECHANI SM Original Filed Oct. 18, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet2 lllllllIlllllllllfllllflllllllllllll Dec. 30, 1930. H. CARLE 1,786,477

BLANK SEPARATING MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 18, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5Patented ea. 3, 193

HAROLD CABLE, F BUFFAICO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TQVORTEX CUP COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWAREBLANK- SEEARATING MECHANISM Original application flied October 18, 1926,Serial No. 1928. Serial This invention relates to an improved blankseparating mechanism, and 1s a division of my copending applications forpatcut for a flat bottom cup making machine, filed Oct. 18, 1926, U. 8.Serial No. 142,370.

The present invention pertains to a blank separating attachment for usein connection with paper cup making machines, and provides mechanismswhereby cup blanks are adapted to be individually separated by pneumaticmeans from the top of a stack of blanks carried in an improved blankholding magazine provided with an adjustable bottom and with adjustableguides to permit a stack of blanks to be raised by resilient meansgoverned by the operation of a Geneva gear mechanism.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved blank carryingmagazine attachment for paper cup forming machines, said attachmentconsistin of a false bottom for supporting a stack of lanks betweenadjustable guides according a restricted passage for the upward movementof the stack of blanks when an eccentric latch mechanism is released topermit resilient means to raise the false bottom and the stack of blanksa predetermined amount each time a blank is removed from the top of thestack.-

It is also an object of this invention to provide a cup making machinewith a magazine having an adjustable blank supporting bottom adapted toautomatically raise cup blanks into a position to permit. the uppermostblank to be pneumatically gripped by a transfer block which is adaptedin turn to be automatically moved at a predetermined time to cause thegripped blank to be transferred into a machine adapted to form the blankinto a cup.

It 'is an object of this invention to provide a blank holding magazineadapted to be connected with and operated from a cup forming machine,and furthermore affording a convenient means whereby a stack of blanksare adapted to be raised into a position by spring means each time aGeneva gear controlled eccentric latch device is released to ermit theuppermost blank of the stack to e gripped by a separating deviceprovided 142,370. Divided and mi application filed June at, No. 288,039.

forthe purpose of transferring the separated blanks one at a time intothe cup forming machine."

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

llhis invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawingsand'hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan View of a cup forming machineequipped with an improved blank separating and feed mechanism formingthe subject matter of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the blank carryingmechanism taken on line IIH of Figure 1. I

Figure 3 is a vertical front view of the blank magazine and feedmechanisms taken on line IIIIU of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view of the Geneva gear controlmechanisms taken on line IVIV of Figure 2.

igure 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the blank carrying magazine withthe blanks removed.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the blank carrying magazine taken online V1Vl of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail section taken on line VII-W711 ofFigure 5.

Figure-8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken on line VIHV1[Hof Figure 2, with parts shown in elevation.

As shown on the drawings:

The present invention relates to a blank holding magazine used incombination with ,a pneumatic blank separating device, both of whichform a part of an improved cup making machine. The machine originallyconsists of a table or platform 1 supported on a suitable framework.Supported above the table 1, is a rotatable spider or turret wheel 2,connected to be driven from the driving unit of the machine, and havingrotatably supported thereon, a plurality of formers or mandrels 3.Associated with the platform 1, is a bottom blank punching and feedmechanism represented as a whole by the reference numeral 4, andprovided for the purpose of punching and feeding cup bottoms to themandrels 3.

Rigidly secured to the front right-hand corner of the platform 1, is anextension board or table 5, above which a blank feed arm device 6 ismounted for delivering adhesived blanks to the forming mandrels 3. Anadhesive supply mechanism is supported above the table 5 in coactingrelation with a pneumatic blank transfer block 7 connected with controlmeans operable from the machine to cause the pneumatic block 7 to beswung over a body blank magazine. The pneumatic transfer block 7 has apneumatic control mechanism represented as-a whole by the referencenumeral 8 connected therewith, to cause a suction action to take placein the block when over the magazine, and furthermore cause a vacuum orsuction action in said block to be broken or released after the transfer block has moved into a position over the adhesive supply device andthe feed arm 6. The pneumatic transfer device, the adhesive applyingmechanisms, and the adhesived blank feed arm device have beenillustrated and described in detail in applicants earlier applicationshereinbefore referred to, so that it will be unnecessary to go into adetailed description of these parts in the present application.

The blank feeding mechanism embodying the principles of the presentinvention will now be described in detail. Positioned adjacent the frontedge of the table 5, is a magazine supporting post or sleeve 9, havingan integral arm 10, which is rigidly secured to the upper surface of thetable 5. Mounted upon the upper end of the sleeve 9 is a flat plate orhead 11, to which a magazine base plate 12 is rigidly fastened.

Secured upon the top of the baseplate 12 are a plurality of stationaryguide arms 13 and a pair of adjustable guide arms 14, which areadjustable in guide slots 15, provided in the base plate 12. Alsomounted upon one corner of the base plate 12 is a stop arm 16 which isslightly higher than the drive arms 13 and 14, and carries an adjustablestop screw 17 The screw 17 serves as a stop to limit the swing of a cupblank transfer frame 18 forming a part of the blank supporting ortransfer mechanism connected with the pneumatic block 7.

Each of the blank guide arms 13 and 14 is provided with a smooth linerplate 19 fastened at the lower end to the respective guide arms, andhaving the upper end free to be adjusted by means of ,a set screw 20.The liner plates 19 serve to control the upward movement of a blanksupporting plate 21 by the frictional engagement between the stack ofblanks;22 and said liner plates 19.

The upper ends of the liner plates 19 are adapted to be deflectedinwardly by the screws 20 to form a restricted passage for the upwardmovement of the stack of blanks.

Positioned above the magazine base plate '12 is a movable false bottomor cup blank supporting plate 21, which is shaped as illustrated inFigure 5, to slide upwardly and downwardly between the guide arms 13 and14. The false bottom is adapted to carry the stack of cup blanks 22which are of segment shape as illustrated in Figure 1. The blank carrierplate 21 is secured upon the upper end of a post or rod 23. A pin 24(Figure 3) projects from the post 23 and slides in a longitudinal slot25 provided in the sleeve 9. The post 23 is slidable through the sleeve9 and passes upwardly through an opening 26 in the base plate 12.Connected to the lower end of the post 23 is one end of a control spring27, the upper end of which is secured to the bottom of the table 5, andnormally acts to raise the blank carrier plate 21 and the stack of cupblanks carried thereon to permit the uppermost cup blank in the stack tobe delivered against the bottom of the blank transfer block 7 when thesame is positioned over the magazine.

Secured around the post 23 is a collar or I sleeve 28 having a slot inone side thereof to permit an eccentric disc 29 to coact with the;

post at predetermined times to pull the same downwardly against theaction of the spring 27. The disc 29 is supported on a stub shaft 30carried by a pair of brackets 31 fixed on the sleeve 28. Fixed on oneend of the stub shaft 30 is a crank arm 31 to which one end of aconnecting link 32 is pivotally connected (Figure 6).v The other end ofthe link 32 is pivoted to a toggle arm 33 which slidably projectsthrough a slot 34 formed in a guide bracket 35 secured to the table 5.

A pin 36 projects through the slot 34 and serves as a fulcrum for thefree end of the toggle arm 33. The second end of the toggle arm 33 ispivoted to one end of-a crank arm 37, the other end of which is fixed onone end of a shaft 38 j ournaled in bearing brackets 39 and 40,supported on the table 5. Se-

cured on the shaft 38 adjacent the bearing to one end of a connectingrod 42 having a turnbuckle 43 intermediate the ends'thereof to permitadjustment of the connecting rod. The other end of the connectingrod 42is pivoted to a crank arm 44 (Figure 4) secured on a shaft 45. journaledin a bearing bracket 46 supported beneath the table 1. A Geneva gear 47is fixed on the shaft 45 and coacts with a Geneva gear 48 fixed on a camshaft 49 to receive a drive therefrom. The cam shaft 49 is connected toreceive a drive from the cup forming machine.

From the cup blank carrying magazine the blanks 22 are adapted to beremoved one at a time from the top of the stack. This operation isperformed automatically at predetermined times by means of the blanktransfer mechanism 7 which is operable from the drivmg mechanisms of thecup forming machine, while the suction operation thereof is go verned bythe pneumatic control mechanisms 8. A detailed description of thepneumatic blank transfer block 7 the blank transfer frame 18, and thepneumatic control mechanisms 8, are omitted since they have beensufiiciently described in applicants earlier applications for patentshereinbefore referred to.

The operation is as follows:

In connection with the detailed description of the blank holdingmagazine mechanism comprising one of the attachments of a cup formingmachine, a brief description of the operation of the improved blankfeeding and separating mechanism will now be given. When the machine isstarted by operating a control lever or the like, a drive is transmittedfrom the machine to the blank feeding mechanisms.

The cup blanks 22 are supported in the magazine upon the false bottom 21which is adapted to be raised by the action of the spring 27 to positionthe uppermost cup blank against the bottom of the blank transfer block 7and the blank transfer frame 18. The false bottom 21 is held in place bythe frictional engagement of the edges of the stack of blanks with theliner plates 19. The uppermost cu blank 22 is now adapted to be removedrom the top of the stack due to the suction action created in thepneumatic block 7 by the pneumatic control mechanisms 8. The blanktransfer block 7- is adapted to be swung at a predetermined time fromthe position illustrated in Figure 1 into a position over the magazine,limited by the .contact of the transfer frame 18 with the stop screw 17on the stop arm 16. The block 7 is moved over the magazine in time topermit the uppermost blank 22 to be moved into engagement with thebottom of the pneumatic block 7 when the magazine bottom 21 is raised.At this stage in the operation, the pneumatic control mechanism 8 isactuated from the machine to exhaust the air from the block 7, therebycausing the uppermost blank in the magazine to be gripped by suction tothe under face of the blank transfer block 7. The control mechanismsconnected with the pneumatic transfer block are now set in operation toswing the blank transfer block 7 back into the position illustrated inFigure l. The gripped blank 22 is thus transferred from the top of thestack of blanks in the magazine into a position ready to have adhesive aplied thereto before the blank is fed to a orming' mandrel 3 of the cupforming machine.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details ofconstruction may be varied through a wide range without departing fromthe principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purposelimiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by theprior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a blanktransfer mechanism, of a blank magazine mechanism comprising a basesection, a plate movably supported thereon, uprights secured on saidbase section to the outside of said plate, and to the outside of a stackof cup blanks supported on said plate, resilient guide strips secured tothe inner faces of said uprights, means for adjusting said guide stripsto form a restricted passage through which the stack of cups is adaptedto be moved, resilient means for raising the plate and the stackiofblanks thereon to cause the uppermost blank to be moved into engagementwith said transfer means, control means for. holding the blanksupporting plate in a stationary position against the action of saidresilient means, release mechanisms connected with said control means,and gear mechanisms for automatically operating said release mechanismsat predetermined times.

2. In a cup making machine of the class described the combination with ablank transfer mechanism, of means for operating said blank transfermechanism, a magazine base supported on the machine, a post slidablymounted in said base, aplate supported on the upper end of said postadapted-to have a stack of blanks mounted thereon, resilient guides onsaid base between which the stack of blanks and said plate are adaptedto be raised to move the uppermost blank into engagement with said blanktransfer mechanism, a spring connected with said post for raising thesame, an eccentric latch coacting with said post, control mechanismsconnected with said eccentric latch to hold the same inlatchingengagement with said post against the action of said spring, anda Geneva gear mechanism operated from the machine and adapted toautomatically actuate said control mechanism to permit theplate and theblanks thereon to be raised a predetermined amount by said spring withthe removal of each blank by said transfer mechanism.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a blanktransfer device, of a vertically adjustable support adapted to carry astack of blanks thereon, resilient means for elevating said support andthe blanks thereon, to move the uppermost blank into a position ready tobe removed by said transfer device, eccentric means for holding thesupport against movement by said resilient means, link mechanismsconnected with said eccentric means, and Geneva gear mechanisms operatedby the machine and connected with said link mechanisms to actuate thesame at predetermined times to release the eccentric means each time ablank is removed from said support by said transfer device.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a magazinebase section, of an adjustable support for carrying a stack of blanks,guides on said base section, adjustable resilient members on said guidesaflording a restricted passa e for the upward movement of said stack 0blanks, eccentric latch means for holding the adjustable support againstupward for raising said adjustable support and the blanks thereon, andcontrol mechanisms for automatically releasing said eccentric latchingmeans at predetermined times to permit saidresilient means to elevatethe adjustable support and the blanks thereon.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination witha magazine,of a plate movably mounted therein and adapted to carry a stack ofblanks, resilient liner plates in said magazine, means for adjusting'said liner plates to form a restricted passage for said stack ofblanks, a spring for raising said plate, a cam latch mechanism forholding said plate against upward movement by said spring, and controlmeans for releasing said latch mechanisms at predetermined times topermit the spring to raise the stack of blanks upwardly between saidresilient liner plates.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a magazinebase section having an opening therein, a post slidably mounted toproject upwardly through said opening, a plate supported on saidpost tocarry a stack of blanks, adjustable guides on said magazine affording arestricted passage for the upward movement of said stack of blanks, aneccentric latch coacting with said post, a spring connected with saidpost to cause .upward movement of said plate and said stack of blankswhen the eccentric latch is released, and Geneva gear mechanismsgoverning the operation of said eccentric latch to permit the resilientmeans to raise the plate at predetermined times to elevate the stack ofblanks.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a transferdevice, of an adjustable support adapted to carry a stack of cup blanks,a spring for raising said adjustable support to move theuppermost blankinto engagement with said transfer device, adjustable resilient guidesafiording a restricted passage for the upward movement of saidadjustable support and the blanks carried thereon, a latch mechanism forrestricting the upward movement of said adjustable support, and gearcontrol means for automatically releasing the latch mechanism atpredetermined times to permit raising of the stack of blanks apredetermined distance each time a blank is removed from the top of saidstack.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Buffalo, ErieCounty,

New York.

movement, resilient means HAROLD CABLE.

